Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 (NRSV)
Read Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 12"See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. Verse 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Verse 14Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. Verse 16"It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." Verse 17The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
Verse 20The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Verse 21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
Devotion
Those of us who are much closer to the end of our life than we are to the beginning can perhaps be observed singing the hymn "Soon and Very Soon" (ELW 439) with considerable enthusiasm on any given Sunday: "Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. . . No more crying there. . . no more dying there" seem like a good promises to us. The invitation of Jesus to wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb so that we may have the right to the tree of life and entry into the new Jerusalem seems an offer too good to refuse, even if it means a shorter time for us on earth.
"Let everyone who is thirsty come." "Surely I am coming soon." "Amen, come, Lord Jesus!" Promise and response invite us. So, the next time we sit down to a meal and say, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest," let us be aware that we asking more than a blessing of our food. We are inviting our risen Lord to make his presence known—He is the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Prayer
Amen, come, Lord Jesus!